Tetra swimming with head up

[SavannahKS]

Two of my tetras are swimming in a jerky motion with their head pointed up. It’s very slowly getting worse over the last month. No other symptoms yet that I can see but I recently had one that started like this and then his spine started to bend. I eventually put him down. I’ve treated with Tri Sulpha tablets for about 2 weeks (includes sulfadiazine), aquarium salt (as 1tbsp to 5 gallons) just added a week ago, melafix (cajeput oil), pimafix(bay oil), and stress coat plus weekly. Nothing seems to be making it better. What could this be and how should I treat it?

• pH 7.2
• Nitrates 10
• Hardness 150
• Nitrite 0
• Ammonia 0
• KH/Buffer 120
• Water Temperature 77 f / 25 C

Tank is 120L, established, live plants, gravel substrate. 

I have Neon tetras, Candy cane tetras, pristella tetras, albino Corydoras, bristlenose pleco. 

[TheSwissAquarist]

I’d be thinking swim bladder problems. 
 @Colu

[Colu]

On 9/25/2023 at 8:25 AM, SavannahKS said:

Two of my tetras are swimming in a jerky motion with their head pointed up. It’s very slowly getting worse over the last month. No other symptoms yet that I can see but I recently had one that started like this and then his spine started to bend. I eventually put him down. I’ve treated with Tri Sulpha tablets for about 2 weeks (includes sulfadiazine), aquarium salt (as 1tbsp to 5 gallons) just added a week ago, melafix (cajeput oil), pimafix(bay oil), and stress coat plus weekly. Nothing seems to be making it better. What could this be and how should I treat it?

• pH 7.2
• Nitrates 10
• Hardness 150
• Nitrite 0
• Ammonia 0
• KH/Buffer 120
• Water Temperature 77 f / 25 C

Tank is 120L, established, live plants, gravel substrate. 

I have Neon tetras, Candy cane tetras, pristella tetras, albino Corydoras, bristlenose pleco. 

Could be an issue with there swim bladder could be old age typically x-ray tetras only live 5 years I have some that are 6 year's old that are starting to develop odd swimming patterns they have been doing it for months still eat fine and are active if it were an issue with the swim bladder you would want to do Epsom salt baths 1 table spoon for 1 for no more than 15 minutes for 5 days as Epsom salt acts as a muscle relaxant to help relieve pressure on the swim bladder